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Stained glass windows, St Luke’s

Records suggest that stained glass windows were first introduced in the first century. However, from the beginning of the 11th century, many churches were built in England and it was during this period that stained glass windows were introduced, using coloured glass held in place with strips of lead. These windows typically showed representations of biblical characters and teachings and were used for both decorative and informative purposes. Often windows were donated by members of the congregation or by families as memorials of loved ones.

Unfortunately, many of these early windows were destroyed during the period of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and by Oliver Cromwell’s puritans in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Stained glass windows were produced by both individuals as the designer and manufacturer and by firms employing artists/designers and craftsmen. Commercial manufacture had commenced in the 1830’s, and there were some twenty-five firms that exhibited their work at the Great Exhibition of 1851. However, around this time, William Morris advocated the return to cottage crafts and the use of old skills and together with a number of his peers, formed what is now known as the Arts and Crafts Movement. This in turn led to a major revival of the use of stained glass in churches throughout the country, with members of the public contributing to the commissioning of windows for the local parish church.

Churches are generally large buildings, consequently architects designed the building to include large windows to let in as much light as possible. Typically, windows tended to be either two or three light lancet windows. In addition, trefoil and quatrefoil windows were included within the design, such as those that can be seen in St Luke’s.

When St Luke’s was first built, all of the windows which, with the exception of the East Window, are either two or three light windows, were of plain glass except for an inner border of red glass in line with the tracery of each window. This can be seen today in the upper windows of the nave, the large West window and the glazed windows in the tower. It was not until August 1910 that the first stained glass window, in memory of Isabelle Tomkins (nee dePury ), was installed in the south wall of the chancel. Today, there are a total of eleven such windows all of which, with the exception of the window commemorating the Centenary of St Luke’s, are memorial windows. The windows are a mixture of standard designs and designs by renowned artists.

The Artists/Designers
J. Wilson Forster
Joseph Wilson Forster was a Victorian artist born in the district of Chorlton in 1861. Son of Joseph Binyon Forster and his wife Mary (nee Beakbane), he studied at the Royal Academy School c.1892. In 1894 he married Ethel Rawlinson, daughter of George Rawlinson, Canon of Canterbury. For many years, Joseph Wilson Forster lived at 36 Falconer Road, Bushey, Herts and used brick built studios at the rear of the premises. Described as a Painter and Illustrator and worker in stained glass, he ran a school of Arts and Crafts in Bushey c.1910-1915 and later at 36 Falconer Road. He died in 1938. The East window and one other in St Luke’s were designed by J. Wilson Forster. (see below)

Jessie Bayes
Jessie Bayes was born in London in 1878, the youngest daughter of the artist Alfred Bayes and his wife Emily (nee Fielden) and sister to the painter Walter Bayes and sculptor Gilbert Bayes. They lived in Fellows Road, West Hampstead.
Jessie became a painter, illuminator and muralist in the traditions of Walter Crane and the Arts and Craft Movement and also a designer of stained glass windows. She was appointed a member of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers (RMS) in 1906 and a member of the Council 1925-1935. She was also a member of the Church Crafts League and exhibited at the Royal Academy from1908.

Jessie Bayes died whilst living in Paddington in 1970. Five of the windows in St Luke’s were designed by Jessie Bayes, four in collaboration with the firm Goddard & Gibbs and one with the William Aikman studio in Sutton. (see below)

Glenn Carter
Glenn Carter was born in 1970 and initially trained as a Graphic Designer at Portsmouth College of Art prior to becoming a freelance designer, maker and restorer of painted and stained glass windows, moving to Lincolnshire in 1995. His work on ecclesiastical buildings can be seen in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Hampshire and during the period of 1995 to 2000, he worked at Lincoln Cathedral on the restoration of the Dean eye window. His signature, to be seen on many of his designs, including the window in St Luke’s, is a lighthouse.

The Manufacturers
Jessie Bayes Windows
Goddard & Gibbs
Goddard & Gibbs was initially established by Walter Gibbs in Blackfriars Road, London in 1868. Today, the company works in the production and restoration of traditional stained glass and architectural glass. Windows produced by the company can usually be distinguished by their signature of two entwined letters G , one reversed, although this signature is not included within the St Luke’s window designs.

William Aikman Studio
William Aikman was born in Edinburgh in 1868. He moved to London in 1892, working for James Powell & Sons after which he set up his own studio in 1913. He also taught at Camberwell School of Art following the end of the Great War. In 1921, he became a founder member of the British Society of Master Glass Painters. William Aikman moved to Sutton in 1934 and died in 1959.

Standard Windows
Heaton Butler & Bayne
Established in 1852 by Clement Heaton, who went into partnership with Robert Butler in 1855, the firm established a studio in Covent Garden and became a leading firm as Gothic Revival stained glass manufacturers, producing stained glass windows for many churches throughout Britain and Europe. An example of their work can also be seen in Westminster Abbey and Wimborne Minster. The St Luke’s window is signed.

Percy Bacon & Brothers
Percy Bacon was born in Ipswich in 1860 and established his studio in Newman Street, London in 1882. By 1901, he was known as an artist, painter and sculptor, working with his two brothers. The company also worked in collaboration with James Powell & Sons.
The company signature is generally either the Bacon family shield or three bees to represent the three Bacon brothers.

James Powell & Sons
James Powell was born in 1774 and was a Wine Merchant before purchasing, in 1834, Whitefriars Glass, a company which had been established in c.1680. James died in1840 and the firm was then run by his sons and later grandsons. It became a major business in the glass making world with a large part of its production relating to church stained glass windows, particularly in the 19th century during the period of the Gothic Revival. Samples of this work can also be seen in Liverpool cathedral and St Thomas church in New York. The company changed its name to Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) in 1919, and moved to new premises in Wealdstone in 1923. The business closed in 1980.
The Powell designer of the St Luke’s window was J. Hodges, a designer employed in the 1920/30s and the cartoonist was A.F. Erridge, (1899-1961), a glass painter and designer. Their signature is in the form of a monk etched onto their windows, as can be seen on the St Luke’s window, bottom left.

The Windows to be seen in St Luke’s are shown below, together with related text.

East Window

A signed board by J. Wilson Forster describes his design as follows:
In the figure of Christ I have endeavoured to express Immortality and Love inspired & illuminated by the Divine Light emanating from God-whose Almighty Presence is symbolised (in the central light of the tracery) by the Greek letters Alpha & Omega, surrounded by the Circle as expressing Infinitude-the Triangle as signifying the Trinity in Unity and by flames of unquenchable Love.
Beneath the Feet of the Christ blooms the Tree of Life- its roses are symbolical of love- as are also the parent birds with their nest of young ones.
Below is the dawn of the rising sun (which might be expressed in the words:-Arise, shine, for thy light has come, & the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee)
Its rays are reflected in the river of life.
The lilies are emblems of purity.
The censing Angels represent God’s ministers-the one offering up to Him the prayers of His children, the other casting the fruition of them in blessings over the earth.
The groups of Angels are celestial beings, praising God, and expressing their joy on divers instruments of music- as are also the child Angels playing upon harps.
The Vine & the Fig, both are symbols of the Divine Life:- the Vine of the Blood-which is the Life-and the Fig symbolising that it blossoms interiorly.
Above all hovers the Holy Spirit “descending from heaven like a Dove”.

Chancel-South Wall and South Aisle-East to West

Jessie Bayes describes her design as follows:
The central figure is St Luke writing his Gospels. Below is a winged Ox, his symbol in Sacred art. Ezekial 1-10.
The Angel on the left carries a stole, the symbol of Obedience and a cup of Healing. The four herbs are Coltsfoot, Euphrasia, Calendula and Balsam. The censer of incense is a symbol of Prayer. Revelations 8-3. The Angel on the right holds the lamp of truth in Holy Scripture. The four herbs are Digitalis, Chamomile, Rose Hips and Marjoram.
Below is the Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary pierced by a sword, as foretold by Simeon when he uttered the Nunc Dimittis as recorded in the Gospel of St Luke 2-35.

An extract from Glenn Carter’s description of his design:
I have taken as a theme for my window the Power of the Holy spirit as described by St Luke in the Acts of the Apostles 2: 1-4. In choosing this symbolism of the Holy Spirit I was also mindful of the dedication given to Guildford Cathedral and the village of Grayshott which lies in an area of breckland where fire has been used as a renewing seasonal control. At the top of each flame and lit by the fire is a light or star. These are symbolic of the seven lamps and gifts of the Holy Spirit which are wisdom, understanding, counsel, ghostly strength, knowledge, true godliness and holy fear.
The landscape around the church is of important significance and this is featured in the design and detail of the window. Within the centre light at the top is a glowing area of blue. This area is representative of the Devil’s Punchbowl. Below these blues lie tinted greens forming a backdrop across the whole three windows being interspersed with yellows. The flames offer a strong yet lapping movement upwards through the lights and will be of orangey reds and yellows, interspersed with colours of the landscape; purples for heather, pinks for coniferous woodland.
Within each light there is a small cameo taken from the local landscape. The left hand window contains a spray of heather in a bed of purple and violets. The centre window shows a representation of oak leaves and acorns surrounded by deciduous greens; symbolic of one of the trees that were considered when building the cross and considered a wood of endurance and strength of faith and virtue. It is also the emblem of the National Trust who oversee a lot of the local landscape. In the right hand window and set in a brown tinted background is a gorse branch, again a plant found on the heath and a representative of the fragrance and beauty of the open heath-land.
Below the inclusions are the words, “ Rejoice in the Lord Always” and below the centenary dates 1900-2000.

North Aisle-East to West

Brian Tapp
Grayshott Heritage

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Early Years of St Luke’s

Originally, the district of what is now Grayshott parish was part of the Parish of Headley and the early residents of Grayshott had to travel the four miles or so to worship at Headley church. As the population of Grayshott increased and with it the number of residents without transport, the requirement to provide a place of worship in Grayshott became more apparent. As a result of this requirement, in 1873 the Rector of Headley, Reverend Laverty, commenced regular services for the parishioners in a room in Grayshott school which continued until 1879 when Canon Capes, Rector of Bramshott and Rural Dean, took over the responsibility of spiritual care of the Grayshott area of Headley Parish. He continued to hold services in the school and then in the former Dame school at the top of Kingswood Lane, until the growing population eventually resulted in a need for extra facilities.
An Iron Room was then built with funding provided by Canon Capes and Miss James, which was used for services and meetings until1891. Mr Alexander Ingham Whitaker then gave funds to build an Iron Church on land which is now part of the St Luke’s churchyard, between the church vestry and the maintenance shed. Here, services were conducted by the Reverend Percy Wigan until 1895 and thereafter by the Reverend James M. Jeakes, both of whom were curates of Bramshott church. (The Iron Church was later put to good use as a church in Liphook)
Reverend Jeakes lived at Grayshott Cottage, later The Hermitage, which became the Vicarage for St Luke’s. It remained as such until 1971, when it was sold to developers for what is now Vicarage Gardens and a new, smaller vicarage was built.

Soon, with the continuing growth of Grayshott’s population, (by the 1901 census it stood at 666 for the Grayshott area in Hampshire plus 416 for the part of Grayshott in Surrey–some 215 dwellings), parishioners began to think in terms of building a permanent church. A formal meeting was held, presided over by Canon Capes with other attendees being Alexander Ingham Whitaker, Edward.B. I’Anson, Catherine I’Anson, Miss James, all well known benefactors of the village and Professor Williamson, an eminent British scientist who lived in Hindhead. Canon Capes was appointed the Chairman of the Church Building & Endowment Fund committee and he issued an Appeal for Funds notice in September 1896. This notice indicated an initial target amount of £6000 plus an amount for an endowment fund. According to the Reverend Jeakes, there followed “long and troublesome negotiations involved in the formation of an ecclesiastical district out of three parishes in two counties”. However, a resolution was eventually reached for Grayshott to become a parish in its own right.

The building of the Church
The first Grayshott District Magazine, now the Grayshott Parish Magazine, was published in January 1898. This recorded that the fund had reached £3861.13s.4d. which was raised from public donations and the proceeds from various sales and concerts held in the village and in Hindhead Hall and by the publication of the February edition the amount was in excess of £4000. (Today’s value c.£370,000-an extraordinary amount to be raised locally in such a short period of time). Miss C.B. I’Anson had gifted the plot of land, later described as being of 3850 square yards, for the building plus an area of land for the vicarage and Mr Edward Blakeway I’Anson was appointed honorary architect. By June the plans had been agreed and were displayed in the Iron Room for viewing by the public, by which time the building work had commenced.

The church was designed to be built in the “Old English” style and of Bargate stone on the exterior and Headley stone on the interior, the chancel 102 feet in length, forty-two feet in overall width and the nave forty-three feet in height. The tower and spire, which was a later addition, was designed to be 100 feet in height. The arches of the doors and windows, together with the tracery, were to be of Bath stone. The church was built by local builders, Chapman, Lowry & Puttick.

All of the windows of the original building were of plain glass, the stained glass windows we see today being later additions. The first stained glass window, depicting the Resurrection, was a gift from M.& Mme. de Pury in memory of their daughter Isabelle Tomkins, nee dePury and was installed in the south wall of the chancel in August 1910. This was followed by the installation of the East window, a gift of the I’Anson family in memory of their father, Edward Blakeway and sister, Catherine Blakeway I’Anson. This installation, which was carried out following alterations to the form and tracery of the original window, is the subject of Christ in Glory and was dedicated at a special service in November 1918 by the Bishop of Guildford. The window was designed by J. Wilson Forster. The window in the south wall of the nave, installed in early 1917, was a gift of Sir John and Lady Brickwood dedicated to the memory of their son 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Brickwood who died in the First World war in April 1915. (see Schedule re Stained Glass Windows).

The Foundation Stone was laid on Saturday 30th July 1898 at a ceremony attended by more than 200 people, drawn by the ringing of the Iron Church bell, together with the choir of men and boys of Grayshott and the Bramshott Church choir. The ceremony of the laying of the Stone, performed by Miss I’Anson, was part of the service conducted by Canon Capes. For the ceremony, Miss I’Anson used a silver trowel, donated by Mr Whitaker and beneath the Stone were deposited copies of The Times, the Daily Chronicle for 30th July, the Haslemere & Hindhead Herald, the District Magazine and a statement of the Church Building and Endowment Fund to date. The ceremony ended with speeches from Canon Capes and a vote of thanks for Miss I’Anson. This was followed by a gathering in the workmen’s huts, decorated for the occasion, for tea and cakes.

In May 1899, Mr Whitaker invited all those involved in the actual building of the church, some 36 men, to Grayshott Hall where they were treated to supper. By the summer of that year the church was nearing completion and arrangements being made for the Service of Dedication. By October, the fund had reached a total of £5468 from which £1000 was set aside for the Endowment which was to be used toward the provision of a Vicarage and stipend.

The first service held in the church was Holy Communion at 8 o’clock on Sunday 17th September 1899, followed by a well attended 11 o’clock service at which Canon Capes was invited to give the sermon. The interior of the church was not fully complete at this time, the choir stalls and some of the planned seating had yet to be fitted. However, many of the fittings, the credence and altar rails, the pulpit, the heating, the organ and many other items, had been gifted or promised by members of the congregation.

By February 1900, the Fund had reached £6193 and at a meeting of the Fund Committee Canon Capes appointed Mr Whitaker and Dr. Lyndon to act as Churchwardens It was also agreed at this meeting that a portion of the Church seating would be allocated to individual parishioners. Parishioners were invited to apply to the Churchwardens, stating the number of seats required and in which part of the Church they preferred to sit. There would be no charge but it was intended that every other row of pew throughout the Church should remain unallocated. Appropriation of seating continued until 1905, when it was decided to allow free seating throughout the Church at all services except Morning Prayer on Sundays and was abolished totally in July 1917.

In May 1900, Grayshott Magazine published a supplement setting out the position of the Building and Endowment Fund and contributions received from each individual. This showed that the costs of building the Church amounted to £5162 and that, having paid all expenses, there remained the sum of £1099.8s.8d. towards the Endowment Fund. In all, in addition to the many gifts which had been received for fitting out the Church, cash donations had been received from over 150 people. In June 1900, a letter written by Dr Lyndon to the Magazine stated that the estimated ongoing annual costs of the church were £320, including a stipend of £220.

In April 1901, the Ecclesiastical Commissions confirmed a Grant of £700 toward the Endowment Fund. Other than £100 received from the Winchester Diocese Society, this was the only help in fundraising received from a public body. All other funds for the Church and the Endowment Fund had been received through donations from the residents of Grayshott and the surrounding area.

Consecration of St Luke’s
A Deed was signed on 13th May 1899 conveying the land and buildings to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, the new church being dedicated to St Luke within the Diocese of the Bishop of Winchester, this agreement being formalised in 1900.

The Church was consecrated at a service at 3.00pm on the eve of the Festival of St Luke, Wednesday17th October 1900, by the Bishop of Winchester, Bishop Randall Davidson, attended by the Vicar of Aldershot, who had recently been the Bishop’s private chaplain. The Church was packed as the Bishop was met at the door by Reverend Jeakes, the Churchwardens, the Choir and Clergy from many of the churches within the local area. Canon Capes handed the formal petition for the consecration of the Church to the Bishop and the long procession moved toward the chancel. The deeds of conveyance were handed to the Bishop by Dr Lyndon and the Service of Consecration began, the Bishop going to the font, chancel steps, lectern and pulpit and the holy table praying for God’s blessing on them all. The Registrar read the Sentence of Consecration which was then signed by the Bishop. After the service, at the invitation of Mr and Mrs Jeakes, the majority of the 500 who had attended moved to the vicarage, The Hermitage, for a celebratory tea and dance.

At this time however, the ecclesiastical parish of Grayshott was yet to be established and the Church was therefore placed in use as a Chapel of Ease within the Parish of Headley . On 8th October 1900, a petition for Consecration was signed and sent to the Ecclesiastical Commission ,together with a schedule setting out the area of the proposed new Parish and on 30th January 1901, the Ecclesiastical Order in Council was signed by King Edward VII, this being the first such Order signed by the new King.

On 18th May 1901, Reverend James Jeakes was granted a license of incumbency of the new Parish of Grayshott by the Bishop of Winchester and became the first vicar of St Luke’s Church. No formal ceremony of induction was held in view of the fact that he had been administering to the spiritual needs of the people of Grayshott for the past five years. However, Reverend Jeakes’ Declaration of Assent and his reading of the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion took place at morning service on 16th June.

The first marriage recorded in the Register of Marriages for St Luke’s is that of James Muir of Chatham, a surgeon in the Royal Navy, to Eleanor Pearson of Grayshott, on 3rd December 1901 who were married by a visiting vicar. The first marriage officiated by Reverend Jeakes was on 25th December 1901 when James Winchester married Kate Wetton.

Church Tower and Spire

In September 1907, a further appeal was launched to raise funds, estimated requiring to be in the region of £1500, to complete the building of the Church Tower and Spire as originally designed by the Architect, Edward B. I’Anson. The decision to complete this project had been instigated by an anonymous offer of a clock to be installed in the tower provided the project was completed quickly. (It was later revealed that the clock and bells were gifted by Mrs Murray-Smith in memory of her husband George). In November it was announced that the builders Chapman, Lowry & Puttick would commence the building of the tower at a cost of £975. At this stage the fund had reached £850 and renewed efforts to raise the full amount for the whole project included concerts, rummage sales and an Organ Recital. On 1st November 1910, the Bishop of Guildford, John Randolph, who was a suffragan bishop to the Bishop of Winchester, attended a Service of Dedication of the Tower, Spire and clock, and recent gifts which had been donated to the Church.

Note: The suffragan bishop of Guildford was created in the Diocese of Winchester in1874 and the Diocese of Guildford, to which St Luke’s now belongs, was created in 1927. In May 1927, the Ecclesiastical centre for St. Luke’s was transferred from the Diocese of Winchester to the Diocese of Guildford. The Enthronement of the first Bishop of Guildford, the Rt. Rev. John Grieg, Lord Bishop of Gibraltar, took place on 12th July 1927.

The build of the Tower, Spire and installation of the clock also included a tenor bell to strike the hour and two bells to strike the quarters. The tenor bell weighed in excess of 8cwt. In 1931, an appeal was launched to raise funds for an additional five bells and the recasting of the existing bells. This project was completed in the summer of 1931 and a Service of Dedication was held on 19th August of that year by Bishop Golding-Bell of Dorking. Each of the bells bears an inscription relating to the those who gave the bells and the date of casting or where appropriate, recasting. During the First World War, the church bell was run at noon each day as a signal for villagers to remember “in prayer the men who are fighting their country’s battles”.

The Choir

The Choir appears to have been formed at the time church services were held in the Iron Church. The first choir mistress was Miss Edwards, who ran a nearby private school and the organist was Mr Oliver Chapman who was the Grayshott Postmaster. Miss Edwards retired in December 1908 and was replaced by Mr Tyler, organist and choirmaster of Haslemere Parish Church. In 1903, the Church Council agreed that the choir mistress should be paid an annual income of £12, which was increased to £18 in 1906. It was also agreed in 1906 that a choirboy would be paid two shillings and sixpence per quarter, less one penny for each absence from a service or practice or for any irreverence, inattention etc.

Each year, the members of the choir went on an annual outing, paid for from donations from members of the congregation. In 1899, seventeen members went on the train to London, in 1900, there were twenty-four on the excursion to Portsmouth and in 1908 similar numbers went on a char-a-banc to Bognor. The service of 15th August 1900, was the first service at which the choir wore surplices and cassocks. These were provided following an appeal for funds, the surplices having been made by members of the congregation and the cassocks by the St. Dunstan Society in the “old English pattern”. In October 1902, a new organ, the gift from daughters of Edward I’Anson in memory of their father and brother Philip, was dedicated at a special service. This organ was originally hand pumped but in August 1914, an appeal was launched to raise funds for a mechanical organ blower. This was installed by Messrs Coxhead & Welch in December 1915.

Baptisms
Miss I’Anson made a gift of a Baptismal Register in June 1901which would hold some 1600 entries. Up until this time all baptisms celebrated at Grayshott had been entered in the register of Headley Parish Church and so Reverend Laverty, the vicar of Headley prepared and gave to Reverend Jeakes a list of the 238 entries relating to Grayshott, which had been registered since 2nd August 1874. This date is the first recorded baptism of a Grayshott child, Jane Elizabeth Harris of Whitmore Bottom, the Officiating Minister being C.W. Kerr. On 5th September 1875, Peter George Robinson, son of Henry and Hannah, “Granny”, Robinson was baptised.. The first child baptised following the consecration of St Luke’s was Bartholomew Selwyn, at a service officiated by Reverend Jeakes who signed as Officiating Minister rather than Curate of Bramshott as on previous occasions.

Church Council
The first Vestry Meeting took place on 6th June 1901 at Grayshott school. Following a summary of the past history of the Church in Grayshott and the presentation of the accounts, Reverend Jeakes then formally appointed Mr Whitaker as his Churchwarden and Dr. Lyndon was elected Churchwarden for the people of the Parish. It was also proposed that a Church Council be formed in the near future “in order that members of the congregation may have a direct voice in the conduct of the Church Services and the work of the Parish”. (It was not until 1927 that a Church Council became a legal requirement within a parish). In February 1902, the rules for the Council, drawn up by the vicar and Churchwardens, were published in the Grayshott Magazine. These included that the Council would consist of the Clergy, the Churchwardens, ex-officio members and ten elected members, five male and five female. Elected members should be baptized, over 21 years of age and members of St Luke’s congregation entered in the Roll-book, meetings would be held twice a year. Sixty-three voting papers were distributed of which fifty-eight were returned and the first meeting was held on 30th April 1902.

The Churchyard
In June 1905, the main event was the consecration of the churchyard, an area included in Miss I’Anson’s gift of land, at a service conducted by the Bishop of Dorking. (see article The Churchyard of St Luke’s & other Memorials)

Lighting
In September 1906, an appeal was launched by the Churchwardens to raise funds to enable the replacement of the oil lamps with electric lighting. The Hindhead Electric Light Company subsequently installed electricity to the Vestry and seventy-five pendant lights, which were specifically designed for the church, were installed in the summer of 1907 at a cost of some £240. It was agreed by the Church Council to retain the candelabra in the chancel.

Pastoral Care
Reverend and Mrs Jeakes, together with their three children, two of whom were born in Grayshott, left the Parish in November 1907. On 15th November, the family attended a farewell party in the Village Hall attended by many members of the congregation and other villagers. Presentations of a rose bowl and study furniture were made to the couple. Mr Whitaker and Dr Lyndon each gave a short speech expressing the thanks of the village and their sorrow at departure of Reverend Jeakes and family after twelve years of caring service. Reverend Albert Simms, M.A., B.D., was instituted by the Bishop at his private chapel in Farnham Castle on 31st January 1908 as successor to Reverend Jeakes’ . He remained as vicar of St Luke’s until 1926 after which time Reverend E. Garth Ireland was appointed as the new vicar.

Gifts to the Church
In December 1912, Mrs Whitaker presented the Church with a book, bound in green calf with gilt lettering and written by Mr Whitaker, containing the official list of all gifts to St Luke’s Church, including monies collected for the building. (Entries have continued to be made up to the present day). In addition to the monies collected for the Church Building Fund, there were numerous gifts for the fitting of the interior of the church. These included the mosaic paving of the chancel, the heating apparatus, the oak pulpit and altar, seating and choir stalls, the lectern, bible and prayer books. The brass cross was specifically designed for the Church and an oak carving of St Luke, carved by a Mr Forsyth of Worcester, was positioned above the porch. This figure is now kept within the Church. The stone Font had been given to the church by Canon Capes of Bramshott church where it had been in use for a number of years. The new organ, which was received from the Misses I’Anson in 1902, was dedicated at a special service on 9th September 1902

From the very beginning, St Luke’s Church played an active role in village life. It became the centre for many activities outside the church, such as the Band of Mercy, the Mothers’ Union, the Boys and the Girls Clubs, the Men’s Club and of course, the Village School.

It is perhaps worth remembering at this time, that this magnificent church, which became and remains at the centre of so much of our village life, was built in its entirety by the generosity of the residents and friends of Grayshott and its surrounding area.

The Grayshott Magazine

In the first edition of the Grayshott Magazine, dated January 1898 and priced at two pence, it was stated that the aim was “to keep in touch with the common life of the village and to help make better known whatever ought to be common interest.–We have our Schools and our Clubs, our Classes and our Entertainments. So far as space allows, we hope to tell, month by month, what is going on in these different ways”.

From the beginning, the magazine, produced monthly and edited by succeeding vicars of Grayshott, continued to inform recipients of the events of the village. In addition to church news and notices, the magazine contained reports on the activities of the various clubs, lectures, entertainments and future plans, of the time. It was used for a number of appeals, such as the Church Building Fund, and in early editions, it covered reports on the School, the Hindhead Working Men’s Club, The Provident Club, the Church Lads Brigade, the Mothers’ Meetings and many other village activities. Many local businesses took space in the Magazine to advertise their business (see Article Early Businesses in Grayshott). The 1897 Accounts of Grayshott Cricket Club were included in February 1898 together with reports on the Band of Mercy, the Choral Society and Ambulance Classes held.

For many years, the Magazine listed the school attendance record of each child by name and Annual Reports of the School Accounts, School Government Grants and a Report of Religious instruction were published, together with the School Inspector’s Report. Also recorded were all Baptisms, Marriages and Burials relating to members of the Church.

For many months, under the editorship of Reverend Simms, a detailed report of the weather in Grayshott for the previous month was published with hours of sun and inches of rain recorded.

The Magazine was also used to inform on items of legislation such as the Reform of the Poor Law, Education Bills and on national issues such as the Coal Strike of 1912. Throughout the Great War, the Roll of Honour, containing the names of every man serving in the military, his regiment and place of posting, was published on a monthly basis together with the names of those killed, wounded or taken prisoner. (see Article on Grayshott during the Great War).

Since publication of the first edition and up to the present day, the Magazine has followed its initial aims of recording the progress of village life in the parish of Grayshott and its surrounding area.

In addition to those mentioned above, the following windows have subsequently been installed:

East Window
In memory of Edward B. I’Anson & Catherine B. I’Anson, designed by J.Wilson Forster depicting Christ in Glory.

South Wall of Chancel:
In memory of Isabelle M. Tomkins, nee de Pury, depicting the Resurrection.

South Aisle:—East to West
In memory of Alexander Ingham Whitaker and Berthe C. Whitaker, designed by Jessie Bayes, it depicts St Luke.

In memory of 2nd Lt. Arthur Brickwood, depicts Sacrifice of Issac.

To commemorate the Centenary of St Luke’s Church, window designed by Glenn Carter to reflect the local area with a small cameo from the local landscape. Inscribed with the words “Rejoice in the Lord Always” and the years 1900 and 2000, the window depicts The Power of the Holy Spirit

In memory of Katherine May Lowry, window installed in 1932/3 depicting Adoration of the Shepherds.

North Aisle:—East to West
In memory of Rev. James M. Jeakes and Albert E.N. Simms, designed by Jessie Bayes depicting St. Peter, Christ and St. Paul,

In memory of Marjory Pearman, window designed by Jessie Bayes depicting St. Augustine, St Francis of Assisi, St. Hilda of Whitby.

In memory of Theodore Pearman, window also designed by Jessie Bayes, depicting St. Matthew, St. John the Divine, St. Mark.

In memory of C. E. Lowry, window designed by J. Wilson Forster depicting St. Clement, St. Elizabeth, St. Martin.

In memory of Robert C. Duggan, window designed by Jessie Bayes depicting St. Margaret, St. David, St. Patrick.

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St Josephs Roman Catholic Church

Catholicism in early Grayshott
The building of St. Joseph’s was commenced in 1910 and the church was consecrated on the Feast of St. Anne on 26^th July 1911. However, the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church were followed in the area for many years before the foundation of St Joseph’s and the history of the church is centred around the Vertue family and in particular Mrs Ada Vertue.

Ada Vertue was born Ada Caroline Hitchcock in Hornsey, Middlesex, in June 1855. The 1881 census shows her to be living in Kenwyn, Cornwall, together with her brother Henry who at the time was Priest Curate in charge of St. George’s, Truro. In 1887, she married Charles Erskine Vertue in Hastings and they moved to Grayshott to live at The Court, Headley Road, Grayshott, which they had acquired from Edward I’Anson and others by a Deed dated 6^th April 1889. Formerly called Heather Lodge and later to be named The Convent of Our Lady of the Cenacle, Heather Lodge had been built by Edward I’Anson in 1864.

Mr. Vertue, who was a Government Inspector of Schools for more than thirty years and who also held the appointment of Honorary Chamberlain to Pope Pius X, had been received into the Catholic Church in May 1890 by Father Galway, SJ. In the early days, the Vertues attended Mass in a small Chapel within the house of a nearby neighbour, Sir Archibald Keppel Macdonald, a fairly difficult horse drawn drive along a rough road over the Common. Sir Archibald was the son of Sir James Macdonald, Bart., Lord of the Manor of Ludshott 1825-1832, who had acquired the old Ludshott manor house in 1826. Sir James had an additional wing built to the side of the house and called his new home Woolmer Lodge. After his death in 1832, he was succeeded by his son Sir Archibald Keppel Macdonald although at the time he was only eight years old. After service in the Royal Scots Fusiliers as an officer and then as Equerry to the Duke of Sussex, Sir Archibald took up residence at Woolmer Lodge in 1849, eventually to become High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1865. Following his second marriage, he built a Catholic chapel in Woolmer Lodge, dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conceptionand it was here that the Vertues attended Mass.
Woolmer Lodge stands south of Ludshott Common, at a point approximately halfway between St. Joseph’s and Bramshott, now approached along Woolmer Lane, Bramshott. It has recently been redeveloped into private residential apartments. After Sir Archibald’s death, he was succeeded by his son Sir Archibald John Macdonald Bt. who died in 1919, after which the title of the Lordship of the Manor of Ludshott was purchased by Mrs. Charlotte Lyndon, transferred upon her death to her husband Dr. Lyndon and upon Dr. Lyndon’s death it was left to the National Trust.

In November 1890, the Bishop of Portsmouth, Mrg. Vertue, (a namesake only and not directly related), came to the village to give Charles Vertue Confirmation and whilst in the area, the Bishop decided to say Mass at Sir Archibald’s.  Following a tiring drive each way, he later suggested to the Vertues that future Mass could be held once a week in The Court. Unfortunately, two weeks later and whilst the Vertues were staying in London, there was a devastating fire at The Court and the building was almost totally destroyed. However it was decided to rebuild the house and upon hearing of these plans, the Bishop suggested that a Chapel be built within the new house in order for a daily Mass to be held. In the meantime, for the next two summers, the Vertues lived in the Coachman’s and Gardner’s cottages and Mass was held in a chapel in the only remaining room of The Court, known as “the outside room”. Bishop Vertue said the first Mass there on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snow in 1891. Arrangements were made for the Premonstratentian Fathers of Farnborough to serve the Chapel and this duty was later taken over by the Franciscans from the Novitiate at Chilworth.

Initially, the congregation consisted of Mr. & Mrs. Vertue and three servants, but this was soon increased when a few villagers from the surrounding area, including Haslemere, Shottermill and Wishanger, started to attend Mass. Should any member present wish to attend Confession, the Chapel was cleared and the congregation had to wait outside for the necessary period. Eventually, the new building of The Court was completed and on June 26^th 1895, the Feast of St. John and St. Paul, a Father Gallway blessed the new Chapel and Bishop Vertue said the first Mass. The Franciscans, mainly Father John, Father Fidelis and Father Thaddeus, continued to serve until the arrival of Father Jerome O’Callaghan from Ireland. Under his care, the congregation gradually grew up to thirty in number but Father O’Callaghan served for a relatively short term before returning to Ireland where he died from consumption.

The building of St. Joseph’s Church
With the increase of the population in Grayshott and the surrounding area, resulting from the development of the village and the introduction of hotels and boarding houses, so the Roman Catholic population increased, particularly in the summer months. A local census taken of the Catholic population living in the neighbourhood on 2^nd March 1902 revealed that there were ten males, twenty-two females and nineteen children, the latter being those that had not taken their first communion.

Following the death of Mr Vertue, who died on 5^th July 1904, Mrs. Ada Vertue spent a lot of time away from the village and considered leaving it altogether. However, during this period, she resolved not to give up The Court until there was a church to take its place. Over one hundred people attended Mass in the Chapel on Easter Sunday 1909, with the congregation not only in the Chapel itself but also standing in adjacent rooms. It was soon after this service that Father John, one of the Franciscans who had previously served the congregation, visited Mrs. Vertue and this visit and subsequent discussions led to the decision to build a permanent church.

The Bishops consent was sought and granted and Mrs. Vertue allocated land within the grounds of The Court for a church, presbytery and churchyard. St. Joseph’s was subsequently built and consecrated by Rt. Reverend W.J. Cotter, Bishop of Portsmouth, on the Feast of St. Anne, 26^th July 1911.

The Consecration Ceremony
The reports of the day describe an impressive ceremony attended by all the stately ceremonial of the Roman Catholic Church. The Bishop was assisted by Father Harvey in the presence of priests from local parishes and other regions of the Diocese, local dignities and a large congregation.

The ceremony had begun the previous evening when the Vigil of the Martyrs was kept. At 7.30am on Wednesday 26^th July 1911, the Bishop ordered for candles to be lit before the twelve crosses on the wall of the church. A procession of attendant priests and the congregation, led outside by the Bishop, walked around the church and the Bishop blessed the outer walls.

Upon return to the inside of the church, the seven Penetential Psalms were sung and the inner walls and the Holy Water were blessed. The Bishop then wrote the first and last letters of the Greek and Latin alphabet on the floor in the sign of a cross, the Gregorian water was blessed and the consecration of the altar commenced, anointing the Cross and sprinkling it seven times with the Gregorian Water. The Relics were carried around the church, brought to the altar and then placed in the sepulchre, which had previously been blessed with Holy Water together with the vestments and other items used on the altar.

The consecration ceremony was followed by High Mass and afterwards the visitors were entertained by Mrs. Vertue. At 4.00pm, after Pontifical Benediction, members of the congregation were entertained to tea and introduced to the Bishop.

Amongst gifts donated to the church were an old Spanish Crucifix, Limerick Lace altar frontals and a Sanctuary lamp. The Vestments had all been previously made by ladies of the congregation.

The Church of St Joseph

There appear to be few records relating to the actual building of the church or its earliest years, possibly because it remained in Mrs. Vertue’s ownership until the conveyance of the land of one acre, two roods and thirty-eight perches, together with the church and presbytery, to the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Dioscesan on 3^rd October 1917. (A Foundation Mass has been said for Ada Vertue since 1912).

St. Joseph’s church, now a Grade 2 listed building, was designed by the Scottish architect Frederick Arthur Walters ( 1849-1931), who also designed the later enlargement of The Cenacle. He was a noted architect of the Gothic revival who designed over fifty Catholic churches and buildings, including Buckfast Abbey, Ealing Abbey, St John’s Seminary, Wonersh and the Holy Ghost Franciscan Friary at Chilwoth, from which the Franciscan Monks came to serve in Grayshott. He was the architect responsible for restoration work and the building of a new clergy home and a new chapel, St Josephs, at St. George’s Cathedral, Southwark, London, at the end of the nineteenth century.

Built in the Gothic Style, St. Josephs has stone walls and two buttresses on the north side, a tiled roof , parallel lower roofs above both the north and south chapels and a stone bell turret over the chancel, all in the Perpendicular, 15^th century, style. Windows are in the Perpendicular style with cusped panels, some of which are with square heads and some with arched heads. Locally sourced Bath stone was used for the windows, doorways and other free-stone work. The nave has four bays and a porch on the north side.

Internally, the church has a wooden barrel ceiling over the chancel and side chapels. Although it has a relatively plain interior, there is a beautiful tripartite traceried stained glass window above the High Altar, depicting Mary with the baby Jesus at its centre, St. Joseph to the left and the Mother of Mary, to the right. There is an elaborate stone reredos below the east window and a Lectern and octagonal Font of carved alabaster, the wooden pews are thought to be original. To the right of the High Altar is the Sacred Heart Chapel, a later addition to the church, to which an Altar was added in 1939 and to the left is the Lady Chapel, the altar of which is believed to be the original altar of the Chapel within The Court. The statues of St. Swithin and St Edmond of Canterbury stand in canopied niches either side of the reredos.On the walls around the church are the fourteen tablets of the Station Of The Cross, depicting the journey of Jesus to the Crucifixion.

The contractors for the building of the church were Messrs. Frank Milton & Sons of Witley. The altar, font and lectern were the work of Messrs. Earp & Hobbs of Lambeth.

Originally, the church was built with a plain glass window above the High Altar. However, following the death of Mrs. Vertue in 1934, a Memorial Fund was established under the chairmanship of Father Harvey and as a result, the stained glass window was installed and dedicated to her memory.

Baptisms are recorded to have taken place in the parish from 1901, the first ten of which were in the Chapel at The Court. Records show that burials took place in St. Joseph’s cemetery from 1919 although they may have occurred from an earlier date. In the churchyard are the graves of Canadian soldiers from the first World War (see below), ten Sisters from the Convent of the Cenacle and also those of Canon Louis Harvey, Father Patrick Hartnett, Father Pat O’Donnell, former priests of the Parish and Ada Vertue. Also in the churchyard, on the south side of the Sacred Heart Chapel, is a large statue of Christ which was formerly at The Convent of the Cenacle.
 
Following the consecration of St. Joseph’s, Mrs. Vertue continued with her husband’s work of inviting sick priests to stay and rest at The Court. This led her to consider converting The Court into a House of Retreatbut this proved impracticableand so she approached the Reverend Mother D’Angliano of Our Lady of the Cenacle with a view to giving The Court to the Order. This offer was duly accepted and on 26^th April 1913, The Court was handed over to the Order and thereafter became known as The Covent of Our Lady of the Cenacle, with Nuns in residence until shortly before it wasdemolished in 1999 to be replaced with residential housing. Following the handing over of The Cenacle to the Order, Mrs. Vertue moved to St. Anne’s in Headley Road, Grayshott.

(During the First World War, the Cenacle was used as a military hospital–see separate Archive article– and during the Second World War, it was used as a military educational centre where resident nuns taught foreign languages to members of the armed forces).

Soon after the death of her husband, Mrs. Vertue had entered the Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary, later to become Provincial Superior. The Society, first established in England in 1846, is devoted to serving the poor and needy. She had always been active in many aspects of Grayshott village life, with a particular interest in the Grayshott Band of Mercy, (see separate Archive Article) and serving on the committee of the Grayshott Nursing Association.

Ada Caroline Vertue died on 28th November 1934 aged seventy-nine and is buried in St. Joseph’s Churchyard.

The Priests of St. Joseph’s
The first resident priest in Grayshott was Father Louis Harvey who came to the village in 1906. A few months before he arrived, Louis Harvey had been diagnosed to be terminally ill with a life expectancy of only three months and a decision was taken by the Catholic Church to ordain him into the priesthood earlier than would have been usual. He was then sent to end his days as chaplain to Mrs. Vertue in Grayshott . However, Father Harvey’s health gradually improved and he was appointed Grayshott Parish Priest following the building of St. Josephs in 1911. Here he remained in office until his death on 21^st December 1958 aged seventy-seven. Louis Harvey was appointed Canon in 1952 and is buried in the churchyard of St. Joseph’s to the east of the Church.

The Assistant Priest during the latter part of Canon Harvey’s term was Reverend Kevin Gallagher who came to the village from Winchester in 1957. Following the death of Canon Harvey, Father Patrick Hartnett, who had been Parish Priest in Christchurch, was appointed Parish Priest of Grayshott and came to St. Joseph’s in January 1959. Father Hartnett remained in office in Grayshott until his death on 21^st. December 1983 aged sixty-four and is buried alongside Canon Harvey.

Following the death of Father Hartnett, Father Patrick O’Donnell was Priest of the Parish until he retired in 1995, although he continued to help with the ministry of the parish until his death at the age of eighty-eight in August 2008. Father Cronin came to the parish after Father O’Donnell’s retirement and was followed some six years later by Father Bigwood.

The present Priest is Reverend Eddie Richer of The Sacred Heart, Bordon assisted by the Deacon, Reverend Mr. Stephen Melhuish.

Canadian War Graves

In the churchyard of St. Joseph’ Church can be seen the graves of ninety-five Canadian soldiers who died locally during the First World War, one of which is inscribed to Reverend Ivor Daniel, Chaplain to the Forces. (Photographs of each grave and full details of the soldier can be viewed on www.wakefieldfhs.co.uk and by going to the link to Grayshott St. Joseph). Also in the churchyard and alongside Headley Road, is a Memorial Crucifix dedicated on 22nd June 1919 to the Canadian soldiers who died in the hospital (The Covent of the Cenacle) during the period 1914-1918.

Jubilee Celebrations 1961
The 50^th anniversary of the consecration of St. Joseph’s Church on 26^th July 1961, was celebrated in the presence of the Right Reverend J. H. King, Archbishop of Portsmouth. A Solemn Mass was sung at 6.30pm by Father Hartnett, assisted by Rev. G Dwyer of Portsmouth and Rev. M. Christy of Southampton, who were Deacon and Sub-Deacon respectively. The Mass was followed by the Pontifical Benediction.
The Archbishop was assisted by the Very Reverend Canon R. Scantlebury of Havant and Canon J. Murtagh of Bournemouth. The choir was under the direction of Father K Gallagher. Some sixteen clergy from the local and wider reaches of the Diocese were also present amongst the two hundred attendees.
Canon Scantlebury- of T.V. fame at the time- gave the sermon, giving a brief historical account of the Roman Catholic Church in England and its expansion since the Reformation.

Earlier in the day, Father Hartnett had entertained the Archbishop and clergy to lunch at the Sally Lunn restaurant in Hindhead .Following the service, a sherry party was held in the Parish Hall. The event was summed up as having been a very enjoyable day.

St. Joseph’s Altar Society
The original Altar Society was established to raise funds to cover the costs of providing necessities for the Altar and the Sanctuary, such as Altar clothes, linen purificators and lavabos, silk chasuble, copes etc. and the provision of flowers candles and wine. No records exist for the original Society but are available for the period 1936 up to 1958. On 10^th March 1936, a meeting was held in Apley House, the home of Major and Mrs. P.T. Wessel, at which it was decided to re-form the Society and rename it the St. Joseph’s Altar Society. A Committee was formed and a letter written to all Roman Catholics of the parish in order to raise funds. It was proposed that an annual subscription should be paid, donations collected and a Box of Offering be placed in the church porch.

Work meetings were held on a monthly basis in order to repair and to make vestments and Altar linen. Eleven sewing parties were held in the first year with an average six attendees. At the end of the first year, the accounts showed a balance of £15.7s.0d. with income amounting to £38.7s.8d., the main costs relating to printing, flowers and altar wine. It was noted that the nuns of the Cenacle had given valuable help and advice to the sewing parties. Expenditure in the second year included the provision of the following:
Two Albs-£3.13s.6d., Twelve boy’s Cottas-£2.14s.0d., Six boy’s and Two men’s Cassocks-£6.19s.0d., and seven pairs of boy’s plimsols-15s.10d. White art-silk vestment costs amounted to £5.19s.10d.

During the period of the second world war, working members of the committee were called upon for various forms of war work and much of the work of the Society was undertaken by the nuns of the Cenacle.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul
This world wide Society, founded in 1833 by a group of Catholic students, is devoted to the care and personal assistance of those in need and bringing help to the lonely and the suffering.
The Grayshott and Headley Society voluntarily ran a coach for the aged and handicapped of the local hospitals and homes. A coach, built in 1963, had been purchased from the Jewish Welfare Board in 1974 and in the following five years, undertook over 400 trips covering some 20,000 miles, including trips to the seaside, fetes and carnivals, theatre, organised shopping trips and to Newhaven on the first stage of the journeys to Lourdes. In all, there were nine volunteer drivers and a number of attendants providing the service.

In 1979, a project was launched to raise £15,000 for a new coach which would be equipped to take up to nine wheelchair patients or twenty-two seated passengers. Fund raising events were held throughout the area with many local organisations, public houses and traders taking part.

St. Joseph’s in 2010
Next year on 26^th July 2011, St. Joseph’s celebrates its centenary. Structurally, the main change which has occurred is the building of the Sacred Heart Chapel on the south side of the High Altar. The other significant change to take place was the removal of the Altar and Altar Rails from their original position and the building of a new Altar following an edict from the Vatican for increased openness during Mass and the taking of the Sacrament.

The Parish Hall was built in 1930, a gift from Mrs. Vertue and following the appointment of a committee, social functions were organised such as whist-drives and various fund raising events. Also around this time, an organ was installed. This was a gift of a Mrs. Ellis in memory of her husband Mr. Guy Ellis.

The present Sacristy was built soon after the death of Mrs. Vertue and the original at the western end of the church became part of the presbytery.

The congregation has now increased to some one hundred and twenty but members of the congregation who attended the first Mass would see the church much as it was on that day for overall, it has changed little over the years.

Researched & written by Brian Tapp, Grayshott Village Archive.       March 2010
 
Acknowledgements:
St. Joseph’s Church
Sister Roberts: The Story of the Cenacle
Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth Archives
Haslemere Museum
Daughters of the Heart of Mary

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Mission Church, Bramshott Chase

The Beginnings in Grayshott

Prior to the formation of Grayshott as a separate ecclesiastical parish at the beginning of the twentieth century, the village was part of Headley Parish and for many years worshippers from the Grayshott area had to travel the four miles or so to Headley Church. However, as the population of Grayshott expanded, so did the number of those with no means of transport and this resulted in an increased demand for services to be held within the village

As a result of these demands, church services were held by the Reverend Capes, Vicar of Bramshott, at a Dame school situated in the vicinity of Kingswood Lane, south of Crossways Road, on the western side of what is now the A3 London to Portsmouth road. The school had originally commenced in the area with a few pupils and was run by two ladies, after which it was taken over by a Mrs. Stock, of Kingswood Close, who also conducted Sunday School services for children. The school then moved to an old carpenter’s shop on the Portsmouth Road belonging to a Mr. James Mowatt.

Later, services were held in a room in Grayshott School and later still, in the Institute situated in Stoney Bottom

In 1891, a corrugated iron building was erected on land, which is now part of St Luke’s Churchyard, between the church vestry and the maintenance shed. There, services were conducted by the Reverend Percy Wigan who lived at Grayshott Cottage, later called Wayside, until 1895 and he was succeeded by Reverend J. M. Jeakes, the Bramshott Curate. Then in the late 1890’s, St Luke’s Church was finally built. Seating up to 350 people, St. Luke’s was first used in 1899 and was consecrated on St. Luke’s day 1900 by the Bishop of Winchester.

As the population of Grayshott continued to increase, by now it was probably in excess of eight hundred, so did the number of people with little or no transport, horse drawn or motorised and the requirement for services to be held nearer to the peoples dwellings “for those who seldom go to church or chapel”, became apparent. In July 1905, Captain Cantrell of the Church Army came to Grayshott for a six-week period and held the first Mission Service in a building in Whitmore Bottom, fitted out and loaned by Mr. Deadman. The building was actually on land in the district of a Mr. Trevelyan, possibly just on the Surrey side of the border. Initially, Capt. Cantrell held a series of Children’s Services and then later a number of, sometimes open-air services on Sunday evenings. When Captain Cantrell left the area, Reverend Jeakes the St. Luke’s vicar, continued the services during the winter months, initially on a fortnightly and later on a weekly basis.

At one time there were two Diocesan vans in the area, which were run by the Church Army and which visited villages in order to endeavour to attract more people to go to church or chapel. In 1907, the Reverend Jeakes requested that a van should periodically visit Grayshott but it is not known if this request was successful.
In October 1911, it was reported in the Parish Magazine, that for those less able to travel to St. Luke’s, Mission Services were again being held, after a lapse of three years, on Wednesday evenings in the room provided by Mr. Deadman in Whitmore Bottom/Vale. Also, for those living in the Ravensvale direction on the Portsmouth Road, Mission Services will be held “in the school room by the turning to Kingswood Lane, where Mrs. Stock conducts the Sunday School”. By now, Captain Wray of the Church Army had arrived in the area for a two year period and he was to conduct the services at both venues and those later held in the Mission Rooms in Portsmouth Road.

The Mission Room Portsmouth Road

Just south of Crossways Road on the West Side of the existing A3 London to Portsmouth Road, you may have noticed a wooden house called Southdowns, which has increased exposure as a result of the current Hindhead Tunnel road works. This building, which has been a family home for some sixty-five years, was once the Grayshott Mission Church, Bramshott Chase.

The overall structure of the building is much as it was when first built excepting the roof covering and possibly the southern gable end. Internally, after so many years in private ownership since its conversion to a house, there is little to be seen of the original features. On the upper floors, the original trusses and crossbeams are exposed, together with the notched features. The porch-entrance all looks to be original together with the internal door, lock and door furniture.

The question of providing a Mission Church in the area first came into being toward the end of 1911, when thoughts were beginning to move toward providing a more permanent “special purpose” building for worship in the Bramshott Chase area. It was noted that a sum of £70 per annum would be required for the provision of a lay Evangelist, such sum to be paid out of the Parochial Fund.

On 25th March 1912, it was announced that half an acre of land on the Bramshott Chase Estate, along the Portsmouth Road adjacent to Chase Plane Cottages, had been purchased by the Trustees of The Winchester Diocesan Trust Deed 1898 and others, from the Trustees of the estate of the late Miss James who had been a major benefactor of the village of Grayshott. She had lived at Westdown on the Portsmouth Road, just south of Hindhead and died in November 1910.

The land in question was originally in the Parish of Frensham and situated “on the north west side of the road leading from “Petersfield to Godalming”. This land was part of a Conveyance dated 16th October 1884 when it passed into the ownership of Alexander MacMillen from a Henry Jesty Ellis Brake. By Coveyance dated 26th March 1886, it had then passed from the MacMillen family to Miss James.

There were a number of restrictive covenants included in the conveyance of 1912, but consent was granted for the building of “one detached dwelling house of a net prime cost value of not less than £650, or a Church or Chapel where the liturgy and rites of the Church of England were exclusively to be used and observed, or a Mission Hall or Mission Room to be used in conjunction with such Church or Chapel”.

A sum of £150 had been contributed by Mrs. Macmillan of Bramshott Chase, H.B. Dempsey, Esq., Miss Dempsey and Mrs. Bulley to cover the purchase of the land, fencing and legal fees. Additional funds were raised through Special Appeals, Rummage Sales etc.

It was generally agreed that a Mission Room should be erected on the site and the Church Council duly adopted formal plans. The new building, designed to seat 150 people, was to be of timber construction with an iron roof and brick foundations. At a length of 50 feet and width of 25 feet, the plans included for a Sacrarium, Vestry and a copper for hot water. There was to be a moveable partition so that the Sacrarium could be shut off from the body of the building when the room was used for other than devotional purposes. The total cost for the building was estimated to be in the region of £300, in addition to which there was the cost of fitting out, furniture and landscaping, bringing the overall cost of the project to some £600.

The building was supplied by Boulton & Paul of Norwich, with the foundation supplied by Chapman Lowry and Puttick. The lighting of the building was carried out by Coxhead & Welch. Miss I’Anson donated a combustion stove for the heating. Other donations included curtains, a Holy Table, Cross and Altar furniture from Mrs. Dempsey, an outside lantern from Mr. Hartwell and a prayer desk and seat from Mrs. Browning. There were many other gifts received including Vessels for Holy Communion, which were donated anonymously. Seventy-five chairs had been purchased in 1911.

(Incidentally, Boulton & Paul started life as an ironmonger in 1797. It was later to become an iron founders, then a wire netting manufacturer and the company then became famous for the construction of prefabricated wooden buildings. In 1912, it produced huts for Scott’s Antarctic expedition. Around 1914, the company turned to aircraft manufacture for the war effort, producing 550 R.A.F. designed FE.2B’s, Sopwith Camels and many other aircraft.)

The overall project, including building and finance, was overseen by Dr. Lyndon throughout. Erection of the building commenced in August 1912 and was completed in October 1912 at an overall cost of £625 including the land. However, the Sanctuary, the arrangement of which was designed by Mr. Harold Gibbon could not be used until dedicated and arrangements were made for this to be carried out by the Bishop of Guildford. Led by the Mission Room Choir, taught by Miss Jelly, the dedication duly took place on 12th January 1913 in front of a large congregation, which filled the main room. Thereafter the property was mainly referred to as the Mission Room, rather than the Church, as the main room had not been dedicated. The Reverend Simms celebrated Holy Communion for the first time on 26th January 1913.

In July 1913, a bell was added to the Mission Room, a gift from St. Alban’s Church, Hindhead following its purchase of a new bell.

In January 1914, Captain Wray left to take up a new Church Army appointment as Chaplain at nearby Longmoor Camp. He was succeeded by Mr. J.W. Partridge of Queen’s College Cambridge, who was ordained at Farnham to the office of Deacon. Mr Partridge, who would initially reside at Mount Arlington (now Amesbury School), was to be responsible for both the Mission Room Services and the Children’s Services.

On the evening of 5th January, there was a large gathering in the Mission Room to say farewell to Captain Wray, at which he was presented, on behalf of a long list of subscribers, with an illuminated address, together with a purse of sovereigns for the purchase of a writing desk. The Reverend Simms spoke of the successful work of Captain Wray, particularly in relation to the Mission Room, and said that he, Captain Wray, would always have the honour of having commenced that work and having carried it to a high degree of success.

The activities carried out in the Mission Room continued to grow, recreational as well as religious and a Cricket Club was formed in the summer of 1914.

November 1914 saw the arrival of a large number of troops and the formation of Bramshott military camp on Bramshott Common. In December 1914, Grayshott School was commandeered for billeting troops and it was decided that schooling would continue using the Wesleyan Chapel for the younger pupils, and the Mission Room for the older pupils. This arrangement continued until the summer of 1915 when the troops moved out of the schools. The Y.M.C.A. had erected three huts at Bramshott Camp for recreational purposes for the soldiers, in addition to which the Mission Room was opened five evening a week. Newspapers, writing material and games were provided free and refreshments were available at a small charge. Many of the local residents of Grayshott helped in the running of the evenings.

Little detail is known of the activities during the war years but one assumes that this was the way of life throughout this period. In September 1918, a Harvest Festival Service was held, the fruit etc. being sent to the Bramshott Military Hospital after the service.

In January 1918, it was reported in the Grayshott Parish Magazine that the Mission Church collections in 1917 had shown a serious decline from prior years. This was attributable to the cessation of morning services during the summer, brought about by the reduction of visitors due to the war local houses and the hostel being occupied by the military. In June 1918, it was reported that the Canadian Chaplain would be officiating at future services and he continued to do this until he left in February 1919, by which time consideration was being given to the permanent closure of the Mission Room. However, a number of Grayshott residents took up the challenge, including Mr T Wray of 2 The Pines and Mr Cecil Wray of Hill View and they brought new life to the Mission Room. Social activities increased with the introduction of Whist Drives, Men’s and Boy’s Clubs, Lectures and a Choir and once again, congregations began to increase.

Details of the overall activities are sketchy but they continued throughout the 1920’s and much of the 1930’s. In November 1921, it was reported that the Rooms were redecorated and that a piano had been purchased. Sunday School and Services continued to be held and there was a St. Luke’s Mission Club Social, attended by sixty-three men and boys, in February 1922. There were public performances of a play in April of the same year and a Pantomime was held in 1923.

Reverend Albert Simms left the parish of Grayshott at the end of 1926 and Reverend E. Garth Ireland became vicar in early 1927. By 1931, services were continuing at the Mission Room but congregations were once again dwindling and in December 1931 a meeting was called to discuss its future.

In his letter in the April 1932 edition of the Parish Magazine, Reverend Ireland stated with regard to the Mission Church, the main points to consider were,

(i) there was no endowment of the Mission Church,
(ii) the General Fund of St. Luke’s could not afford to pay the £150 to £200 a year required to run it, and
(iii) it was practically impossible to provide either a priest or layman to take regular Sunday services there.

He reiterated these points in the May edition adding that the Church should never have been built so close to the Parish Church in the first place.

In June 1932, it was announced that the Parochial Council had adopted the resolution of the Public Meeting and was sending out a public appeal for funds. The appeal raised a total of only £10 against the estimated annual running costs of £150. The Reverend Ireland again stated that he was of the strong opinion that the Mission Rooms should be closed and that he would like to see the building moved to Grayshott as a Parish Room, although his arguments for closure were partially countered by Dr. Arnold Lyndon.

In November 1932 it was decided that services should be reduced to one a month. In March 1933 the Parochial Church Council decided to try an experiment, for one year only, of a part-time worker for the Mission Church District at a cost of £150 a year.

Following this, the Reverend Ireland stated in the Parish Magazine that he had reluctantly agreed to take the necessary steps with the Diocesan authorities to carry out the resolution but went on further to say that he believed it “unnecessary to expend work and money on the minor needs of the Mission Church”.

In May 1933, Mr. P. P. Hephner came to the district to take up the appointment at the Mission Church, specifically to cover Bramshott Chase. However, the Rev. Ireland again repeated his opposition to the continuation of use of the Mission Room on its present site. He stated that the building should be physically moved as he considered “the only possible settlement is to turn the liability of it into an asset of a self supporting Church Room within the village of Grayshott”. Despite this opposition, following the arrival of Mr Hephner, services recommenced, a boy’s Cricket Club and a Choir were formed and the Mission Rooms again became quite active. In September 1933, sixty-nine people attended the Harvest Festival service.

The Mission Rooms however, continued to be a burden on the Parish, the accounts for the year to May 1934 showing a deficit of £75 after receipt of Subscriptions & Donations of £107. Added to the cost paid direct by the Parish, the overall cost to the Parish amounted to some £275. Throughout 1934 and 1935, there were repeated appeals for funds for the continuation of the services but in October 1935, the evensong service was abandoned due to so few attending.

It is not known exactly when the Mission Room was closed, but by June1943 the building had passed into the private ownership of a Mr. J. Wright. On 2nd June1943 consent was given by Surrey County Council for conversion of the building, by now known as the Old Mission Hall, to a private dwelling. It then remained in private ownership until purchased by the Secretary of State for Transport in 1994 as part of the Hindhead Tunnel development, the Title Absolute being registered on 16th January 1995.

Currently, it is unknown whether the building will be retained in its present form or demolished and the site sold for redevelopment once the tunnel project has been completed. However, it is perhaps a testament to the quality of work produced by Boulton & Paul in 1912 that the timber building remains in good order, on its original site, to this day.

Researched & written by Brian Tapp
Grayshott Village Archive, July 2008

Acknowledgement:
Grayshott Parish Magazines.
The Highways Agency

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The Churchard of St Luke’s

The Churchyard

Prior to 1905, the burial of Grayshott residents had taken place in both Shottermill and Bramshott, although the majority were in Headley Churchyard, a horse and cart provided by local tradesmen being used as a hearse between Grayshott and Headley.

Following on from her gift of the land on which St. Luke’s Church was built, Miss Catherine I’Anson gave the land for the Churchyard in 1905 and it was dedicated by the Bishop of Dorking, deputising for the Bishop of Winchester, in June of that year. Nearly all of the shops in the village were closed for the afternoon on a perfect summer day. The petition for consecration was presented to the Bishop by Mr. Whitaker, the Vicar’s Churchwarden, and the service commenced in the Church “and forever set apart from all profane and common uses to be the resting place of the dead until the glorious resurrection of the last day”. A procession, headed by the churchwardens in academic robes and bearing staves of office, with the Bishop, clergy, choir and congregation, proceeded around the grounds, stopping at the south wall where the service continued before returning into the church. During his address, the Bishop pleaded “ for more reverence through our modern life in England”, perhaps a plea which could be justly repeated today. Following the service, many of those assembled accepted an invitation for tea in the Vicarage garden.

Certain rules had been established regarding burials:

• Legal hours for funerals were between 10.00am and 6.00pm.during April through     September and between 10.00am and 3.00pm October through March, two clear days of notice had to be given to the vicar.
• No monument or inscription was allowed without the permission of the vicar.
• No burials were to take place on the south side of the church
• No artificial flowers were to be placed on the grave.
• All persons dying in the village were entitled to be buried there, but representatives could not claim a particular place, although every effort would be made to meet their wishes.
• Under the Burial Laws Amendment Act (1880), 48hours notice had to be given “that it is intended that such deceased person shall be buried within the churchyard without the performance of the service for the burial of the dead according to the rites of the Church of England. The burial may take place at the option of the person responsible, either without any religious service or with such Christian and orderly religious service at the grave, as that person shall think fit”.

Arrangements had been made with Mr. Bridger, Stonemason of Haslemere, who had undertaken to provide “a plain square stone with cross, initials and date engraved upon it , at a cost of 4s.6p.(22.5p).

In October 1905, a bicycle shed, to accommodate no less than 12 cycles, was built by the churchwardens, to be opened before each service until the bell stopped, at which time it would be locked until the end of the service.

The first registered burial in the churchyard was that of William George Johnson, aged six months, the service being conducted by R. S. Kirkham, a Wesleyan Minister, on 8^th August 1908. A second burial took place on the same day, that of Beatrice Ethel Wenger, also aged six months, this service being conducted by the incumbent Reverend Jeakes. Currently, excluding some 400 interments following cremation, over 1500 burials have taken place. The first recorded interment of ashes was on 18^th March 1908, being those of Samuel Marshall Bulley who lived at West Wing, Westdown, Hindhead.

There were four burials in 1905, six in 1906 and a total of eighty-nine by the end of 1912. The cost of digging a 6ft. deep grave in 1921 was published as being 15 shillings plus five shillings to turf over, a double grave 18 shillings and a treble grave 30 shillings.

During the incumbency of the Rev. E. Garth Ireland from 1927 until 1942, the Guild of God’s Acre was formed to maintain and beautify the Churchyard, although this cost has subsequently been covered by funds provided by the Parish Council.

Grayshott Residents– Buried in St. Luke’s Churchyard
Note: Dates shown relate to either date of death or date of funeral

Within the Churchyard are the graves of many notable people, not only of those of members of the families who played a major role in the development of Grayshott Parish, but also of others who are known on a much wider basis. Much has already been written about many of them but there follows a brief note on a number of those which may be of interest locally.

Edward I’Anson Snr. 5^th July 1811 – 30^th January 1888
Edward I’Anson died in 1888 prior to burials in Grayshott and is buried at All Saints, Headley. However, mention is made of him here as the I’Anson family has had such an influential effect on the establishment of the village of Grayshott.

Edward I’Anson was born in London and moved to Grayshott in 1861 when he purchased seventy-five acres of land known as Grayshott Park Estate and situated on the south side of Headley Road, between Ruffit Lane and Grayshott House. There he built Heather Lodge, which was used for distribution of mail prior to the establishment of a Post Office in the village. After his death the house was sold and renamed The Court by its new owner, Mr. Vertue, a major contributor to the establishment of the Catholic church. The Court then became the Convent of the Cenacle. Edward was an Architect and was President of the R.I.B.A. 1886-1888 whose works included the Royal Exchange, City of London offices, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and the Corn Exchange. He was also Master of the Merchant Taylor’s Company, Charterhouse.

He married Catherine Blakeway in June 1842 and they had five daughters and two sons.

Their eldest daughter Mary, married David dePury and their daughter Berthe, married Alexander Ingham Whitaker. Catherine I’Anson died in 1866 and in 1876 Edward married Caroline Shepherd. (see memorial plaques -Jack Shepherd below).

Edward I’Anson gave land to the Parish on which the new National School was built in 1871 and was the School Correspondent (Inspector) and Treasurer for many years.

Edward Blakeway I’Anson. 28^th June 1843 – 10^th November 1912
Edward I’Anson Jnr., the son of Edward referred to above, took his mother’s maiden name as his middle name, as did all of his siblings and like his father, became an architect and eventually took over his father’s business in London. He was a prominent figure in the early development of the village and was a member of the committee set up to raise funds for the building of St. Luke’s Church. He gave his services free as Honorary Architect of the church, and was also responsible for the addition of the spire to the original building, in 1910. He and his family were also major contributors to church funds for the building and fitting out of the church..

In 1901, Edward inaugurated the I’Anson Cup Competition for Cricket which is still competed for by Grayshott and surrounding villages today.

Edward, who had never married, was buried in St. Luke’s Churchyard on 15^th December 1912, his address at the time of his death being given as 3 Argyle Street, London.

Miss Catherine B. I‘Anson 6^th October 1847 – 2^nd  June 1916
Daughter of Edward I’Anson Snr. who founded Grayshott National School in 1871, Catherine I’Anson was a major contributor to village life in the early years and very active in the formation of a number of its institutions. She was devoted to the welfare of the village, particularly to the children. Catherine largely managed and financed the school in its early years and visited regularly, acting as the school’s Attendance Officer. She was a Parish Councillor and served on Alton Rural District Council.

Catherine I’Anson gave the land on which St. Luke’s Church is built and laid the foundation stone on 3^rd September 1898, she also ran the Sunday School for many years. In 1914 she gave the two and a half acres of land known as Phillips Green to the parish in memory of her brother Phillip I’Anson, although the conveyance only took effect after her death. Catherine I’Anson, so well known throughout the area, was always recognisable as she was seen walking around the village, dressed in a long black coat and black velvet bonnet, carrying an umbrella.

Alexander Ingham Whitaker 1857 – 3^rd September 1933
Alexander Ingham Whitaker was born in Palermo, Sicily, around 1858 and is known to have been at boarding school in England in 1871. He came to Grayshott in 1884 when his father Joseph bought Grayshott Hall. Alexander largely rebuilt the Hall in 1886. In 1895 he married Berthe dePury, granddaughter of Edward I’Anson, and he and his wife, were generous benefactors to the development of the village over many years. Among other things, he gave three acres of land to the village between 1902 and 1920,originally for use as allotments but later used as playing fields, and in 1919 a ten-acre field, which is the current playing field in Headley Road.

He served on the first Parish Council of Headley, which included Grayshott, for a number of years from 1884 (as chairman from 1902 until 1908) and he was also a Trustee of the Village Hall, which opened in 1902.

Alexander Whitaker moved away from Grayshott in 1928 and died in Belgium in 1933 although his address at the time of his death is given as London.

Dr. Arnold Lyndon 1861 – 18^th November 1946
Dr. Lyndon moved to Grayshott with his wife Charlotte in the mid 1890’s and lived at Windwhistle House. As a major benefactor to the village, he had a large impact in the development of the village in its early years. Together with his wife, Dr Lyndon ran the hospital based in the Convent of the Cenacle from 1914 until 1918, he being the Medical Superintendent and his wife Lady Superintendent. The Order of the British Empire was conferred on Dr. Lyndon in May 1920.

Mrs Charlotte Lyndon 1866 – 5^th October 1936
Extremely active in village life, Charlotte Lyndon was one of the originators of the scheme which led to opening of the Fox & Pelican under the national temperance Peoples Refreshment House Association and was chairman of the Grayshott & District Refreshment House Association. She served on Headley Parish Council (which included Grayshott) from 1899 until 1901 and also on Alton Rural District Council. She was Clerk to the Grayshott Parish Council from 1902 until 1928 and chairman until her death in 1936. Charlotte Lyndon was also a Justice of the Peace on Alton Board of Guardians, Headley Division.

Together with Dr. Lyndon, Mrs. Lyndon left a number of legacies to the village and bequeathed two cottages in Beech Hanger to the Parish. She was described as “a shy woman who carried out many acts of generosity by stealth”. Charlotte Lyndon died suddenly in 1936 whilst on holiday in Shrewsbury.

Edward Unwin V.C. Royal Navy 17^th March 1864 – 19^th April 1950
Edward Unwin was born at Fawley, Hythe, Hampshire and lived in Southsea from 1903 until 1912. It is believed that he moved to Grayshott in the 1920’s and lived at Ling Cottage, Crossways Road, together with his wife Evelyn Agnes Carew Unwin. Captain Unwin was awarded the Victoria Cross in recognition of his bravery during the landings on V. Beach at Cape Hellas, Gallipoli on 25^th April 1915 during the First World War. At the time, he was in command of H.M.S. River Clyde, which was originally a collier steamer, and which was manned by volunteers from Unwin’s own ship, H.M.S. Hussar. The Clyde was carrying some 2,000 troops, which were to be landed on V. Beach under the Captain’s command. Observing that lighters that were to form a bridge to shore had drifted, Captain Unwin left the ship under murderous fire to attempt to get them back in position. He worked on until forced to return to the Clyde due to suffering the effects of cold and immersion.. After treatment he returned and completed the task, later being treated for three abrasions caused by enemy fire. He then left the Clyde again to rescue wounded men lying in shallow water near the beach.

Edward’s wife Evelyn died on 26^th August 1948, aged 81yrs and is also buried in St. Luke’s churchyard.

Mrs. Hannah Robinson   1836 – 18^th November 1929
Hannah Robinson, known locally as “Granny” Robinson, was born in the district in 1836. She married a son of John and Maria Moore of Purchase Farm, Whitmoor Vale, where the census shows her to be living in 1871. She had two children by her marriage, Archie, born 1868 and Mary Ann. Hannah was then widowed and later married her second husband, Henry Robinson, and together they ran a shop at Mount Cottage, Headley Road. Mount Cottage was later bought by Mr. Edward I’Anson Snr.

Hannah and Henry also had two children, Peter who married Annie Houlin and Ruth who was to marry Horace Harmer, who later took over the building firm Chapman, Lowry & Puttick.

In about 1881/2, Hannah and Henry established the first shop in what is now the village of Grayshott, in Crossways Road, which Hannah continued to run after the death of her husband. This was initially a general store, selling many items attractive to villagers of all ages and later, in1887, the shop became the first Post Office in the village, designated a sub-office of Petersfield. However, Henry’s tenure as sub-Postmaster did not last long and in 1892, Henry Robinson was sacked, allegedly due to the misbehaviour of Peter and Ruth on the Telegraph System. The building in which the shop was established remains today, currently occupied by Pilgrims Property Rental business.

Henry Robinson died 26^th January 1905 at the age of 69yrs.

Hannah Robinson’s son, Peter George, who died in June 1957 at the age of eighty-one, is buried in the same plot as his mother.

John Grover 1835 – 3^rd October 1913
John Grover was a London builder whose work had included the building of New Scotland Yard, 1888/90, and buildings in Chelsea. He purchased land in Tower Road Hindhead in the late 19^th century and built a house there named Heather Bank. He later provided a permanent centre for Congregational worship. In 1895 he commenced the building of Hindhead Hall and in 1901 added a Church and Manse. In the early part of the 20^th century, he provided a Free Church at both Hammer and Beacon Hill. All of the buildings were described as being built in the “XIVth. century domestic” manner and, it is believed, were designed by the renowned architect Norman Shaw.

John Grover was known as the greatest benefactor to the Congregational Church in the area. His wife Sarah, who died in December 1913 aged 85yrs. is also buried in the same plot.

Samuel Marshall Bulley 1851 – 18^th March 1908
Samuel Marshall Bulley who lived in the West Wing, Westdown, Hindhead, was a well known figure in the area and a great friend of the village. He was chairman of the Trustees of the Village Institute during its formative years and his keen love of music was shown in his vast amount of work for the Choral Society. Together with Miss James, he was responsible for the building of The Hostel at Bramshott Chase.

As recorded above, the ashes of Samuel Bulley were the first to be interred in St. Luke’s Churchyard. Annie Margaret Bulley died on 14^th October 1947 aged 95yrs.

Felix Bulley, the son of Samuel and Annie, died on 5^th May 1909 aged 32yrs.

Fielding Hay Bickersteth Ottley 1877 – July 1958
Edith Ottley (Wife of Fielding Ottley) 1864 – February 1953
Canon Fielding Ottley came to Grayshott in 1942 and was the Vicar of Grayshott Parish Church until his death in 1958. Prior to his arrival he had been a Six Preacher of Canterbury Cathedral. He was very popular in the village and well known for his “Biblical studies” sermons at the Sunday morning service. According to his daughter Rosemary, he always timed his visits to parishioners so to be able to have a chat and a cup of tea.

Lady Louise Conan Doyle 1857 – 4^th July 1906
Kingsley Conan Doyle 1893 – 1^st November 1918
Louise Conan Doyle (nee Hawkins) first came to the area in 1897 due to health reasons. She had married the author Arthur Conan Doyle in 1885 whilst he was still a practicing physician

When she was diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis, the Conan Doyles first moved to Switzerland but this turned out to be unsuitable. However, Arthur had heard about the area of Hindhead and its clean and healthy air from the novelist Grant Allen, who lived at Moorcroft in Hindhead. Conan Doyle decided to return to England and chose a site above Nutcombe Valley and there had a house built which was to be named Undershaw. They lived in the Moorlands Hotel whilst the building was completed and moved into the house in October 1898. Whilst there, among other things, Conan Doyle founded the Undershaw Rifle Club and Football Club and took part in many local activities, he was among one of the first motorists in the area. Lady Conan Doyle supported him in all of his activities until she died on 4^thJuly 1906. Her son Kingsley, who was a Captain in the Hampshire Regiment and died, from wounds, in the St. Thomas Hospital, London at the age of 25yrs, is also buried in St. Luke’s Churchyard.

Arthur Conan Doyle had been Knighted in 1902.

The mother of Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Josephine, who had lived in West Grinstead, Sussex and died in January 1921 at the age of 83yrs., is also buried in St. Luke’s churchyard.

Sir Frank Noyce – K.C.S.I. C.B.E. 1878 – 11^th October 1948
Enid Isabel Noyce (nee Kirkus)
Sir Frank, the son of Alfred Noyce of Salisbury, entered the Civil Service in 1902 to become Under Secretary Governor of the Indian Revenue and Agriculture Dept., followed by a number of other senior positions within the Civil Service in India. He received the C.B.E.(civil) in 1919, C.S.I. in 1924 and was knighted in 1929.

Sir Frank and Lady Enid, who lived at Grayshott House, were the parents of Wilfred Noyce, the mountaineer and a member of staff at Charterhouse, who became a member of the successful team that conquered Everest in 1953.

Sir Frank was a Churchwarden at St. Luke’s for a number of years from 1940 until his death in 1948.

John Oakshott Robinson 1870 – 29^th November 1932
Ada Minnie Robinson 1874 – 17^th January 1941
John Oakshott Robinson was born in1870 and one of nine children of James and Jane Robinson of South Shields. After John’s marriage, the family moved to Madras, India around the turn of the century when John joined his Uncle’s company. At the age of forty-three John was to become the Chairman of the company, one of Asia’s largest trading companies at that time, trading in retailing, hotels, catering, the motor industry and other industries.

He returned to England on his retirement and is recorded as living at Bramley Croft, Tower Road, Hindhead from 1920 until his death in 1932. It was subsequently reported that a Memorial Service was held in Madras later that year, attended by representatives of every phase of public activity in Madras and at which Canon Edwards referred to his “unbounding charity“.

His eldest daughter, Esther, was married to Stanley Edwards at St. Luke’s Church, Grayshott on 13^th September 1926 and John‘s wedding gift to them was a house called Grayshott in Madras. (Full details of the family and its links with Grayshott are shown on our website article “Grayshott” in India.)

Oliver Chapman 1861 – 1^stNovember 1933
Oliver Chapman was a member of a local family in Grayshott and was originally Superintendent of Joinery at the Contracting Company owned by his father, Mr. E.H. Chapman. The company was later to become the builders Chapman Lowry & Puttick.

In 1901 he became the sub-Postmaster at Grayshott Post Office following the demise of his brother Walter, who was sub-postmaster for nine years until he was charged with the murder of his wife Emily at the property on 29^th July 1901.

Oliver was also the church organist and choirmaster at St. Luke’s Church for nearly forty years.

He was Overseer of the Poor from 1895 until 1901 and a member of the first Parish Council for Headley (including Grayshott) from 1894 until 1901.Described as an eccentric character always dressed in a black coat and tails, which flapped as he was cycling around the parish.

Harold Oliver Chapman 1883 – 10^th February 1954
Harold Oliver Chapman was the son of Oliver and married (Sarah)Annie Symonds, who had arrived in Grayshott from Cheshire in 1892, in St. Luke’s Church on 12^th January 1910. Annie was an assistant at Grayshott Post Office at the time of Flora Thompson and a witness at the murder trial of Walter Chapman. Annie died 29^th June 1969 aged 90yrs and is also buried in the churchyard.

Lady Jessie Eliza Brickwood. Born 13^th November 1864 – Died 17^th April 1917
Lady Jessie Brickwood was born Jessie Eliza Cooper in 1878 and was the second wife of John Brickwood whom she married on 30^th September 1893. For their honeymoon they travelled from Southampton, on the liner Paris, to the United States where they entered through Ellis Island Immigration on 14^th October 1893. John and Jessie had two children, Arthur who was born on 1st. November 1896 and died during the First World War as a 2^nd Lieutenant on 15^th April 1915,(see “Memorial Plaques” below) and Rupert, born 18^th February 1900, who was to become 2^nd. Baronet Brickwood, Sir Rupert Redvers Brickwood, who died 29^th April 1974.

Together with his brother Arthur, John had inherited his father’s Brewery business Brickwoods of Portsmouth , in 1874, which grew to become one of the largest brewery businesses in the area. He was a great friend of doctor and author Arthur Conan Doyle, of Sherlock Holmes fame, and through him became interested in Portsmouth Football Club. He then led a syndicate to buy land in Portsmouth,( possibly but by no means certain the current ground of Fratton Park), which the club moved to in 1898.

John Brickwood received a knighthood in 1904 and was made Baronet Brickwood of Portsmouth in 1927. In 1906, Sir John and Lady Jessie contributed £25,000 for the building of a chapel at the new King Edward V11 Sanatorium in Midhurst, for which Lady Jessie had “worked and donated” a large altar cloth, and where they met the King and Queen, Edward and Alexander, at the opening.

Sir John married for a third time and died in February 1932, his ashes were scattered in the sea at Spithead in the Solent. At the time of her death, Lady Brickwood was living at Nutcombe Down, Hindhead.

Lady Agatha Russell Born 1853 – 23^rd April 1933
Agatha Russell was the daughter of Earl Russell by his second marriage and grand-daughter of the 6^th Duke of Bedford. The Earl, as Lord John Russell, was Prime Minister & First Lord of the Treasury from1846 until 1852 and 1865 until1866. Agatha was an aunt of Bertrand Russell, the mathematician and philosopher.

Edith Margaret Jackson 1863 – 16^th October 1907
One of the Churchyards most distinguishing marks, the large Churchyard Cross standing twenty feet high in the Churchyard to the east of the church, is dedicated to Edith Margaret Jackson, who is buried nearby. The memorial was erected by her uncle, Frederick Jackson, who lived at Tarn Moor, the property that was totally destroyed by fire on 19^th. February 1907, one of the earliest fires attended by the then newly formed Grayshott and Hindhead Fire Brigade. Frederick Jackson was buried in the churchyard on 26^th January 1915, aged 82yrs and his sister Charlotte on 9^th January 1918 aged 78yrs.

Miss Mary Julia James 1831 – 15^th November 1910
Miss James, who lived at Westdown was another major benefactor of the village. She was on the original committee which organised the appeal for funds to build St. Luke’s and also gave a generous donation to the fund. She was well known in the area for organising the annual Chamber Music concerts held in the Village Hall. Miss James, together with a Mr. & Mrs. Bulley, was also responsible for the building of The Hostel  (later known as Mount Alvernia and currently as Shannon Court) at Bramshott Chase, to provide periods of rest and relaxation for people in the professions, including, actors, musicians and teachers. Miss James also made a gift of cottages, known as Whitmore Vale Cottages, to the Parish.

In 1908, “Miss James Walk” on the edge of Nutcombe Valley, Hindhead, was given to the public and dedicated to her memory.

Sir Geoffrey Charles Frescheville Ramsden 1893 – 22^nd  February 1990
A descendent of Baronet Pennington–Ramsden of Byram, a baronetcy created in 1689, Sir Geoffrey was the son of Colonel Herbert Frescheville Ramsden C.B.E. who had married the Hon. Edwyna Susan Elizabeth Twistleton Wykcham Fiennes, daughter of the 17^th Baronet of Saye and Sele.

Sir Geoffrey was a Captain in the 1^st. Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment during the first world war and later joined the Civil Service. He married Margaret Lovell Robinson, a daughter of the Reverend John Robinson, in 1930. He was awarded the C.E.I. in 1942, and is recorded as working in India in 1944. Sir Geoffrey received his Knighthood in 1947 and retired from the Civil Service in 1948.

Sir Geoffrey Ramsden died at the age of ninety-six at a nursing home in Hindhead, his wife, Lady Ramsden, having died in 1976 while they were living at Fynescourt in Boundary Road. 

Sir Edward Acton 1865 – 21^st November 1945
Sir Edward was the son of Henry Morrell Acton. He entered the Bar Inner Temples in 1891 and was a Judge on the County Court Circuit in 1917. He entered the High Court of Justice and was made a Knight in 1920. He had married Enid Nina Tulloch in 1903 and was living at The Hatch in Churt at the time of his death.

Commonwealth War Graves
Within the Churchyard there are ten official Commonwealth War Graves as follows:-

Private E. Larby – Royal Sussex Regiment – Died 7^th November 1919
Lieut. G.W. Halstead M.M. – R.A.F – Died 31^st January 1919
Private A. Levett – Hampshire Regiment – Died 12^th November 1918
Driver A.E. Fullick – Royal Field Artillery – Died 6^th January 1919
Private J.H. Cook – Queens Royal Regiment – Died 14^th April 1941
Private G.H. Harris – King’s Shropshire Light Infantry – Died 9^th January 1916
Capt. K. Conan Doyle – Hampshire Regiment – Died 1st November 1918
Lieut. A. C. Brickwood – York & Lancaster Regiment – Died 15^th April 1915
Sgt. D. A. Parham – R.A.F.V.R – Died 21st July 1944
Private W. S. Street – Queens Royal West Surrey – Died 18^th December 1919

Memorial Plaques
Within St. Luke’s Church and in addition to the dedicated windows which are described in the publication The Dawn of a New Century, there are a number of Memorial Plaques:-

Flight Commander James Montague Edward Shepherd R.F.C.
Known as ‘Jack’, James Shepherd was born on 2^nd. December 1895, the son of Montague James Shepherd and Theresa Cazabon, and Grandson of Mrs. Caroline I’Anson by her first marriage to James Lawrence Shepherd.

Following the death of both of his parents, Jack moved to Headley to live with his uncle Edward Shepherd, who was Land Steward to Alexander Ingham Whitaker, owner of the Wishanger Estate and the husband of Edward I’Anson’s grand-daughter Berthe de Pury.

In the Will of Caroline I’Anson written in 1915, Jack is described as being a 2^nd Lieutenant in the 15^th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade but sometime later he transferred to the Royal Flying Corp. He was shot down over Bixchoote, France in 1917 aged 21Yrs.

James George Ward, Headmaster Grayshott National School 1893-1913
James Ward was appointed Headmaster of Grayshott National School in April 1893 and lived in Fircroft, a large house adjoining the school grounds and at that time owned by the I’Anson family. He continued as Headmaster until his resignation in 1913. Known locally as Podgy he was a strict disciplinarian but was described as being a ‘very good schoolmaster and a first class woodworker and gardener’.

James Ward was born on 31^st October 1860 and died 25^th September 1939.

Commander Arthur Cole Lowry R.N.
There are two memorials to Commander Lowry in St Luke’s Church. The memorial plaque states that he was born in September 1864 and died on 3^rd December 1903 and has an inscription “ went overboard eight times to the rescue of drowning men and saved nine lives”. He received four bravery awards for rescues of men from the sea, including the highest, the Stanhope Gold Medal. He also received the Albert Medal from Queen Victoria. Commander Lowry was the son of General Robert William Lowry C.B. who died on June 8^th 1905 and to whom there is also a memorial plaque. Commander Lowry had lived in the village for several years until his death in 1903 and is buried in Bramshott Churchyard. He was a neighbour of Agnes Weston, who founded the Royal Sailors’ Rests Homes and following his death, parishioners of Grayshott donated the cost of providing one of the “cabins” in the Portsmouth Rest Home, in his memory.

A second memorial is carved on the chancel rail as “Commander Arthur Cole Lowry R.N.– H.M.S. Victory– Greater love hath no man” It is noted that the chancel rail and screen was a gift from the brothers of Commander Lowry, Colonel and Mr. C. E. Lowry. Mr Lowry was a member of the building firm Chapman Lowry and Puttick during the building of the church in 1898/99 and to whom a window is dedicated in the North Aisle. The reference to H.M.S. Victory is in relation to a piece of wood “being worked in” to the south side of the rail. All of the work was carried out by Grayshott men except for the carving, which was done by a Miss Johnson who lived at Churtwynd, Hindhead.

2^nd Lieutenant Arthur Cyril Brickwood 1^st Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment
Arthur Brickwood was the son of Sir James and Lady Brickwood (see above). He died from injuries on 15^th April 1915 at No. 7 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, having been in the trenches seven times at the age of 18yrs.He was buried in St. Luke’s churchyard on 21^st April 1915.

Captain Harold Whitaker 2^nd. Battalion Rifle Brigade.
A relative of Alexander Ingham Whitaker, Captain Whitaker died near Laventie, France on 1^st. December 1914 at the age of 29yrs.

Edward Blakeway I’Anson M.A. St. John’s Cambridge 1843-1912
Edward Blakeway I’Anson was an Architect by profession and step-son of Caroline I’Anson For many years was head of the I’Anson Property Trusts until his death in November 1912. He was the Honorary Architect of St. Luke’s Church Grayshott and also the Founder of the I’Anson Cricket Cup competition in 1901. Additional details of his life are given in part one above.

Ernest Churchill Holmes Durham 29^th December 1868-8^th July 1938

Benjamin Lucas Judkins Died 2^nd. April 1902 & Elizabeth Judkins Died 28^th December 1900 in Rome.

Cecil Wray – Church Warden 1915-1929

Vincent Sydney Woods 1856-1939 & Alice Margaret Woods 1870-1966

William Robert Strange 1856-1932
Resident in Grayshott for many years, William Strange had been a priest, serving in   Bristol and Holford

War Memorials
In addition to the individual Memorial Plaques in St. Luke’s, there is a Memorial Tablet, which was dedicated on 17^th July 1921, for the thirty residents of the Parish who gave their lives during the First World War.

There is also a Roll of Honour to all of the men and women of Grayshott Parish who served in the Second World War, a total of 253 residents, with a notation against the names of the nineteen who gave their lives.

Schedule of Graves of those recorded above

Name                                                 Section         Plan         Register

                                                                                    Ref.           No

Edward I’Anson Snr.                       —— All Saints Church Headley—-
Edward Blakeway I’Anson                   3               31E           86
Miss Catherine B. I’Anson                    3               30E         149
Emma Blakeway I’Anson                     3               29E         438
Alexander Ingham Whitaker              3               35E         400
Dr. Arnold Lyndon                                2               13I           460
Mrs. Charlotte Lyndon                         2               13I           680
Edward Unwin V.C.                               1               OG         765
Hannah Robinson                                 5             OLL         340
John Grover                                            2                 8B           95
Samuel Marshall Bulley                       2               C12           25
Annie Bulley                                           2               C12         701
Felix Bulley                                             2               C12         40
James George Ward                              5         O14LL         148
Fielding Hay Ottley                               1                 7J           167
Lady Conan Doyle                                 2             22D             9
Kingsley Conan Doyle                          2             23D         191
Sir Frank Noyce                                    2             22G         724
John Oakshott Robinson                     3             29O         385
Oliver Chapman                                   6             1502         406
Harold Chapman                                  6             1502         2/45
Dame Jessie Brickwood                       2               25A         166
Arthur Cyril Brickwood                      2               25A         126
Lady Agatha Russell                            1               06D         392
Edith Mary Jackson                             5             HH 00         15
Frederick Jackson                                5             HH02         118
Miss James                                             2              C12           56
Sir Geoffrey Ramsden                         4              53K       2/488

Commonwealth War Graves
Larby                                                     1                 1C         209
G.W. Halstead                                      2               10E         197
Levett                                                    2               23C         193
A.E. Fullick                                           2               23E         194
J.H. Cook                                               3               39S         569
G.H. Harris                                           2               26V        141
K.Conan Doyle                                     2               23D        191
A.C. Brickwood                                    2               25A        126
D.A. Parham                                         2               20S         639
W.S. Street                                            1                 2D         213

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History of St Luke’s

1891:
Temporary church of corrugated iron built.

1896:
Fund started to build new church

1898:
Land given by Miss I’Anson, and work begins on building the new church

1899:
Church opened and services start.

1900:
On St Luke’s day, Dr Davidson, Bishop of

1901:
Order in Council setting up and defining the new parish signed by King Edward VII.

1902:
A house named the Hermitage becomes the permanent vicarage.

1902:
Grayshott becomes a separate parish, having been in the parish of Headley for 800 years.

1905:
Pew rents abolished, and all seating free, except on Sunday Matins when they were free once the bell had stopped.

1906:
Electric lighting installed.

1907:
Building of the tower begins.

1910:
Tower completed together with a clock and weather cock.

1911:
Roof retiled at a cost of £250.

1915:
An electric blower organ is installed.

1916:
Additional pier added to strengthen the chancel arch.

1927:
St Luke’s changed fromm being in the Diocese of Winchester to that of Guildford.

1930:
Five new bells were added and the existing ones recast.

1939:
The Chancel and Sanctuary were altered, oak panelling and a carved coloured reredos were added, and a new Altar Cross provided

1952:
The north aspect of the church roof was retiled.

1961:
The side Altar was dedicated to the memory of Canon Fielding Ottley.

1968:
A new church room was built adjacent to the church and dedicated by the Bishop of Guildford.

1969:
The diocese submitted plans to the local planning authority to build a new vicarage and to redevelop the existing vicarage site.

1972:
New vicarage occupied.

1980: 
A kneeler project was organised which provided 135 designs, all individually worked by parishioners.

1985:
Cleaning of church organ costs £4,100.

1988:
A fire breaks out during the night, which is not discovered until the next morning. Much damage caused but after extensive cleaning by both volunteer and professional teams, the church looked brighter and lighter than before.

1994:
New church rooms and office completed, and opened by the Archdeacon of Surrey.

1995:
Headstone erected at the hitherto unmarked grave of Capt. Unwin VC and a short service held on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign.

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